Catering hygiene has never been under such scrutiny
August 1st 2004

We have to be full of admiration for people who work in the catering sector. Its a very demanding environment and the weight of responsibility on chefs and kitchen porters is immense because everybody who works with food has to be always on their guard to avoid the ever-present danger of food poisoning.

Each year millions of people in the UK suffer from symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps. Food poisoning is extremely unpleasant in healthy people, but in children, the elderly and those with weak immune systems the outcome can be extremely serious and even fatal. Food poisoning causes around 300 deaths a year.

The hidden enemy

It is sometimes difficult to convince catering staff that there are millions of living creatures on our skins and hands. These microscopic single-celled organisms called bacteria cover every square centimetre of our bodies. These are called pathogenic bacteria that are responsible for most types of food poisoning. Theyre usually found on raw food, dirt and refuse, pests and people!

Kitchen staff cant tell if food, equipment or surfaces are contaminated with these bacteria. Weve all heard the expression breeding like rabbits. It should really be breeding like bacteria, because, in the right circumstances, a thousand bacteria can become a million in an hour and forty minutes. But as well as time, they need other conditions to multiply and survive, like food, water and warmth (which are a plenty in a busy kitchen).

Introducing Arpax A7 from RP Adam

Unless equipment and surfaces are thoroughly disinfected, bacteria will grow. Arpax A7 is a new age catering degreaser and sanitiser in one which is dispensed through an Arpax bottle fill dispenser. With superb grease cutting properties Arpax A7 also utilises a twin chain quaternary biocide to kill germs as you clean. It has been independently tested to the BS EN 1276:1997 standard as a chemical disinfectant for food areas. This test showed at a 25:1 dilution in hard water, it killed Enterococcus hirae, E-coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial strains with a five log reduction. Considering to qualify as a disinfectant one requires a 3-log reduction, it shows the strength of the disinfecting powers of Arpax A7.

Use cleaning schedules

Follow cleaning schedules and plan ahead so that high-risk areas such as surfaces and equipment are cleaned first. RP Adam will have prepared a cleaning schedule that sets out what, when and how cleaning should take place. Its absolutely essential that these schedules are followed to the letter.

Always start at the top and work down taking care to use the correct cleaning chemicals and equipment. Hand contact surfaces such as handles on doors and refrigerators are danger spots for the passing on of contamination. So pay special attention to them. Change cleaning water when it becomes cool or dirty.

Food handlers & hand disinfection

The most serious hazard in the catering operation is the food handler or the catering operative because most people carry some type of food poisoning organism at one time or another. Staphylococcus is found naturally in the nose, mouth and on the skin of 40% of people and Salmonella can be found naturally in the intestines. Both of these bacteria can cause food poisoning if transferred to food, so you need to practice high standards of personal hygiene to ensure they dont contaminate food.

Hands come into direct contact with food, so theyre the main route for transferring food-poisoning bacteria. The law requires wash hand basins to be provided which are not used for any other purpose. They must have hot and cold water, liquid bactericidal soap and hand drying facilities. Any nail-brushes must be spotlessly clean.

Always follow the correct procedures when washing your hands. Wet them thoroughly and use enough Centenary Biocidal Hand Soap to make a good lather. The fingertips, in-between the fingers, hands, wrists and forearms should all receive attention. After visiting the toilet or handling raw food, a clean, use a soft bristled nailbrush to lather the fingertips and clean underneath the fingernails.

Rinse thoroughly in warm flowing water to remove all the lather that contains bacteria and dirt. Then dry your hands completely to reduce the number of bacteria remaining on your skin. Dont think that just because youve washed your hands thoroughly at the beginning of a shift youre going to be safe. You need to wash your hands throughout the working day before handling any food, whenever you enter a kitchen, and especially after these activities:

After handling raw food, including eggs. After visiting the toilet, and after combing or touching your hair, face, nose, mouth or ear. Eating, smoking, coughing, sneezing or blowing the nose can also contaminate your hands so wash them straight away.

RP Adam cant stress enough how important it is to keep the highest standards of personal hygiene. Its not only a legal duty but also a moral one customers lives are literally in the operatives (clean) hands because bad personal hygiene could cause discomfort, illness or even death.

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